Accra: Mr Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, has called for coordinated measures to reset Ghana's oil palm industry and transform its production potential into jobs, industrial growth, and reduced imports. He emphasized the need for the country to move beyond policies and targets to practical action that would raise productivity, strengthen smallholder participation, expand processing, and ensure sustainable development of the sector.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Opoku made the call on Wednesday during the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA)'s 2026 National Palm Stakeholders Forum in Accra, themed 'From Policy to Practice, the Role of TCDA in Resetting Ghana's Oil Palm Industry.' He highlighted the strategic importance of oil palm as a link between agriculture and industry, supporting various stakeholders while providing essential raw materials for multiple industries.
Mr Opoku noted that Ghana faces a significant production deficit in palm oil, leading to substantial imports to meet annual demand. This gap, he stated, represents lost jobs, underutilized processing capacity, and unreliable markets for farmers, alongside a loss of foreign exchange that could benefit the domestic economy.
Emphasizing the value of policy in changing lives, Mr Opoku urged forum stakeholders to leave with clear responsibilities, timelines, resources, and measurable targets. He explained that the Government's 2026 Budget target to establish 100,000 hectares of new oil palm plantations is not merely an acreage expansion programme but part of a broader effort to build an integrated, sustainable, and competitive industry.
The programme, Mr Opoku stated, would focus on rehabilitating ageing farms, closing productivity gaps, improving planting materials, and bringing new areas into production responsibly. He stressed the importance of supporting smallholder farmers, women, and young people with access to secure markets and opportunities across the value chain.
He appealed to financial institutions for suitable financing products for the sector while calling for transparent and beneficial land arrangements among stakeholders. Furthermore, he highlighted the need for efficient infrastructure and reliable market linkages to transition from producing fresh fruit bunches to manufacturing finished products for both domestic and export markets.
The forum coincides with the Government's pursuit of financing arrangements to expand the oil palm industry. In July, the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, informed Parliament about a nearing US$500 million financing deal for the sector, indicating substantial investment efforts.
Dr Andy Osei Okrah, CEO of TCDA, expressed the Authority's commitment to translating the Government's vision for oil palm self-sufficiency into a clear execution plan. He reiterated the Government's target of achieving total self-sufficiency in palm oil production by 2032, with TCDA playing a pivotal regulatory role.
Mr Isaac Kwadwo Gyamfi, Regional Director of Solidaridad West Africa, highlighted the need for access to quality planting materials, productivity investments, and processing infrastructure to translate policy into action. He added that climate finance could aid artisanal processors in adopting efficient technologies and reducing environmental impacts.
The TCDA, established under the Tree Crops Development Authority Act, 2019, regulates and develops Ghana's strategic tree crop value chains, including cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango, and shea.